Avar-Lieth-class Cruiser

The Avar-Lieth cruiser is an iconic mid-sized vessel of the Aethi Star Navy, forming a large part of the Aethi Imperium's space military muscle. It is not uncommon to see Avar-Lieth-class vessels in nominally non-combat roles as well, serving as survey and exploration craft where formidable self-defense capability may be required. The cruiser class was commissioned to replace the also-iconic, but aging, Avar-Kiaan-class Cruiser's mainline combat configuration. (The Avar-Kiaan-class hulls persist alongside the newer -Lieth, however, as diplomatic, exploration, and support vessels.)   In terms of design and combat doctrine, the Avar-Lieth is designed for a balance of mobility and combat potency. The design minimizes mass-intensive defensive hardware such as full-coverage stabilized onium plating in favor of unreinforced ariskai hull and energy shielding, and uses only a relatively small internal "black box" of stabilized onium bulkheads to protect vital systems. These ships will typically fly in "wolf pack"-style combat formations.   The name "Avar-Lieth" means Star-Wind or Star-Gale in Aethi, in keeping with the Star Navy convention of modern cruiser classes having names beginning with "Star-."